


Ghostly Trips

by ImagineBeatles



Category: The Beatles (Band)
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-08-02
Updated: 2018-08-02
Packaged: 2019-06-20 16:46:46
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,053
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15538626
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ImagineBeatles/pseuds/ImagineBeatles
Summary: There’s a reason why Paul falls on the stage that often. It’s because John trips him.Based on this post.





	Ghostly Trips

**Author's Note:**

> Originally posted on tumblr in 2017

Being dead was surprisingly boring. In the beginning it was exciting, meeting all those people whom you always wanted to talk to, but never could. Meeting Elvis again, Buddy Holly and many others. Seeing his mother and Stu again had been incredible, of course. And then John hadn’t even mentioned his new abilities yet. It was fun, finding out what you could and could not do. Walking through walls, watching food go through your body because you were almost see through, making your head turn like that of an owl and pretending to be possessed. 

But after a few years, it had grown normal and rather dull. Things had gotten better again when George had died. They had had the best of fun together and John had laughed his head off- quite literally- a few times when George and him had began terrorising others with their abilities. But of course, after some time even that had gotten boring and seeing George get excited when he found out he could do something else that was disturbing and hilarious was getting more and more annoying.

“John! John! Watch this!” George cried out for the umpteenth time that evening, pulling at the cuffs of John’s shirt to get his attention. John grumbled at him, but looked anyway. He groaned in disgust as he had to see George swallow an entire sandwich and watch it go through his body, until it fell out again, still completely intact.

“You’re disgusting.” He told him and George could only grin, before picking the sandwich back up and doing it again. John quickly looked away and turned back at the stage where Paul was doing a show. John liked spending his time simply watching Paul, even if that might be a bit creepy.

Considering Paul was now 73 years old, he still looked good for his age . Then again, how could he not? He was Paul McCartney! They guy would probably still look good when he had been dead and buried for a decade. John sighed as he watched Paul switch over to his acoustic. John knew what was coming. He’d been to too many of Paul’s concerts this year, not to. Sure enough, Paul walked over to the mic, and simply started playing. The first four notes hadn’t even sounded yet, or the crowd was already clapping and cheering before falling eerily quiet as they watched Paul sing Yesterday.

He looked absolutely stunning on that stage, standing in a halo of light from just one single beam of light as he sang into a crowd of people, which moved to the music and softly mouthed the words as a few they held up their phones or lighters. He was smiling at them, and for a second John was reminded of when Paul had done this song live for the first time back in ‘65. He and George had been standing back here as well, watching as their band mate, stiff from the nerves, sang and played on his own for the first time. Unlike then, his voice did not waver one bit (apart from that of old age), and he looked completely in his element. But he still looked small, like back then, and John could still see that nervous twenty-three year old in Paul. The sight made him smile, but he quickly wiped it off his face when he saw George grinning at him.

“The git still can’t let go of the past, can he?” John said with a fake laugh, trying to cover up, but George simply shrugged and continued grinning as he looked away from John and back to Paul.

“Those were good days, though. Before all the drama.” He said and John couldn’t disagree. He still missed those days. Especially when he was watching Paul perform, wishing he could be there on that stage with him.

As soon as the song ended, loud cheers emerged from the crowd at an almost deafening volume. John turned to look at George as Paul bowed a few times and waved at people in the crowd. He was still grinning at him, and John felt the urge to slap it off his face, but refrained, knowing it would do little to change George’s thoughts. Besides, what was so bad about George knowing he still missed him? They were both already dead, they might as well continue to get along and not wasting it on that old crap again.

“Is it me or is he starting to look more and more like a grumpy old turtle rather than our adorable chipmunk?” John asked him as he nodded with his head into Paul’s direction. George burst out in laughter at that and nodded as John laughed with him.

“Now you mention it.”

“I bet you he’s going to be so pissed when he dies and sees we’re still looking good and young and he’s a shrivelled up raisin! He would wish that those rumours of him dying had been true. At least he’d look like his 24-year-old self. And he did look good back then!”

“When he dies, the first thing I’m going to do is tell him you called him a shrivelled up raisin and a grumpy old turtle.” George laughed, earning himself a foul glare from his friend.

“You wouldn’t!” He snarled, and when George merely shrugged in response, he grabbed him by his shirt and pulled him to him, holding him up slightly and looking him dead in the eye to look intimidating. It seemed to work, for George’s eyes grew wide and he shrunk into himself a little, but the little grin was still there.

“Then I’ll tell Richie you don’t like his sunglasses.” John threatened, but George seemed unaffected and simply disappeared, turning up again a meter further back from John. John grumbled angrily, cursing their ghostly abilities.

“See if I care. I just want to see those wonderful blue eyes again. I don’t think he can take that more badly than telling Paul he’s ugly.”

“I didn’t say that!”

“You can tell him that. Now, be quiet, Paul’s playing again.” George told him and John fell quiet almost right away. He felt his stomach jump as he heard Paul start his next song. He cursed as he realised they had missed him announcing it. That was his favourite bit. He swallowed thickly as Paul began to sing, already feeling tears prick behind his eyes.

_“And if I said_  
_I really knew you well,_  
_what would your answer be?_  
_If you were here today.  
_ _Here today._

_Well, knowing you,_  
_you’d probably laugh_  
_and say that we were worlds apart._  
_If you were here today.  
_ _Here today.”_

John looked at him in silence as he watched him sing, knowing every word was for him. What would Paul do if he knew he was here right now, listening to his every word and wishing more than anything that he could tell him he loved him too?

_“But as for me_  
_I still remember how it was before._  
_And I’m holding back the tears no more.  
_ _I love you.”_

“I love you, too, Macca.” John muttered with a sigh, hoping that Paul would somehow hear him, even though he knew fully well he couldn’t.

“What was that, John?” George asked knowingly, but John wouldn’t give into him.

“Nothing. He’s such a sap.” He grumbled back, keeping his eyes on Paul. George didn’t reply, which was probably for the best as John was certain he would have ripped his head off if he had.

_“And if I say,_  
I really loved you and was glad you came along  
If you were here today.  
For you are in my song.  
Here today.”

“You’re one too, you know.” George mumbled softly as they watched Paul finish up the song, and being rewarded by more cheers from the crowd. John could see some were in tears and he even noticed Paul clearing his throat before taking his bass from a roadie and moving back to the mic. Absent-mindedly, John pricked away a tear from his eye with his pinkie as well.

For the rest of the concert, John and George watched happily as they sang along to the songs and did stupid impersonation of Paul, knowing fully well Paul would hate them for it if he knew what they were doing. But that was the good thing about being dead: no one could see you.

“Here, watch this!” John said as Paul bowed for the last time and hurried off that stage, coming their way. John grinned mischievously as he watched Paul coming, reading himself.

“John, don’t do it. He’s going to break his hip one of these days.” George warned, knowing fully well what John was about to do. He did it a lot lately and every time he was there for it, George feared for the worst. Still, John pretended not to have heard him and stuck out his foot as Paul got closer and materialised it at the last moment, right as Paul was about to run through it. John cried out laughing as Paul tripped over his foot, his eyes growing wide as he realised he was about to fall and stumbled onto the floor, groaning as he hit it. George flinched behind John, gasping as he watched some people running over to him and offering to help him up.

Thankfully, Paul was already trying to scramble back up onto his feet, and George sighed in relief, before laughing as well as Paul turned and stared at the empty place where John’s foot had been just a second ago, looking utterly confused. As soon as Paul noticed the people coming to help him, he laughed it off and got back up onto his feet with some difficulty. The people looked concerned but Paul told them he was fine. Probably just tripped over a wire. John laughed even harder at that.

Paul quickly wiped some dust from his clothes and took his trusty Höfner bass and turned around to do an encore. The crowd didn’t seem to have noticed the accident. He counted down and started doing Another Girl as he pretended nothing happened. Still, John could see he was limping a little bit and moving much less than before.

“Do you think he should see a doctor or something? He has been falling a lot lately.” Some guy said to another guy behind them and John and George looked at each other in amusement as they giggled like a pair of naughty schoolboys.

“No. He looks fine. Besides, he might get angry if we tell him he’s getting old.” The other guy answered and the first nodded, before turning around to do what he was supposed to be doing. The other guy kept watching Paul, obviously a bit worried. John and George looked back at Paul as well, grinning as Paul stumbled back to the mic to do his little talk and announce the next song, grimacing instead of smiling.

“Do you think he knows it’s us?” John asked, chewing his lip and silently hoping Paul did.

“Us? You, you mean! I don’t have anything to do with this!”

“You laughed! You’re just as guilty as I am.” John told his friend and George smiled back at him, knowing he was right. And he did enjoy teasing Paul a little. He deserved it.

“Forget I asked that. It was stupid. Come on, let’s go back upstairs. I’ve had my fun.” John said with a sigh and George nodded in agreement. He watched as John shot Paul one last meaningful look and turned around, starting to walk away, only to disappear into nothingness after a few steps. George sighed and looked back at Paul, feeling relieved when he noticed Paul was feeling alright again and jumping up and down as he sang. 

George wasn’t sure why, but for some reason he thought that Paul might know it was John who made him trip all the time. After all, they have basically shared a brain since they first met. He smiled at Paul, before turning around and walking away as well, knowing he’d probably be back again in a few days. John could never stay away from him for long. He loved him too much. And he thought Paul was the sap.

**Author's Note:**

> This fic was graciously imported from tumblr by [CJD](https://chut-je-dors.tumblr.com/) who is a good friend and overall pretty amazing. Suck it, Puck


End file.
